Equilibrium

   I came to knowledge of the word equilibrium as a mathematical term before I had the understanding that it has a wider application.  If you have an equation, and you add a term to one side, you have to add an equal term to the other side, to avoid an inequality.

   If you are building a bridge, you have to make sure stress is less than the support to maintain equilibrium.  If you are flying an airplane, you have to have the lifting force of the wings equal to the force of gravity to maintain level flight. 

   When you think about your emotions, then as your stress factors rise, you need more mental strength to keep your equilibrium.  For the last few years, each of us has been burdened by high degrees of worry over our health, shortages of necessities, missing our favorite restaurants, travel restrictions, concern for others, and social isolation.

     Life experiences and prior experiences with uncertainty have not fully prepared us to deal with the pandemic and its repercussions; none of us have dealt with this specific occurrence before.   We need to somehow find a way to keep our equilibrium so we can deal with this ourselves, and help others. 

 Our community at our Unitarian Universalist congregation has, and will continue, to help each of us keep our balance.  The comfort of our Sunday service, the sharing of our joys and concerns, the time of reflection, and the occasional insights of wisdom from our guest speakers provide tools to keep us flying level.  Working together, meeting in the book or film groups, and partaking in the Friday Happy Hour are all ways to feed our souls and keep the stresses of our lives from tipping the equation. -Patrick O’Neill, PhD